Chasing Starlight
by Inkkerfuffle
Summary: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… the only son of a rich trade merchant and a young Jedi apprentice cross paths while the Galaxy's higher powers struggle for the control of the Galactic Republic. Star Wars AU. Notes inside.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER. This follows just certain events of the Star Wars and has a lax time line. I tried very hard to make sure that everything you might need to know was already explained in the narrative, so It shouldn't be necesary to se the movies, but hey, if you want to watch them, don't let me stop you.

* * *

The first time Adrien saw her was when he was around ten years old. Adrien had been out with his father, tagging along to what had probably been a horribly boring meeting in a tall building in Coruscant. But whatever had transpired in that meeting was not important and didn't care enough to remember. He remembered sitting by the window, as his father discussed some important matters with his associates.

The good thing about Coruscant was that it was a large city, taking over the entirety of the planet. It was one of the most important planets in the Galactic Republic, it also housed several important institutions, like the Senate and one of the most important Jedi Temples in the Republic.

So whenever he was dragged to these kinds of meetings, he tried to entertain himself by looking out the windows, there was bound to be something interesting out there.

It was his plan today, as he gazed at the front of the Jedi Temple just nearby; just as a group of young children burst outside, following an older Jedi knight. They looked excited and overenergetic, pushing each other as they ran circles around one another. And even though Adrien couldn't hear them, they were clearly laughing and having a great time. They couldn't be any older than he was, all of them wearing those typical tan and beige robes, the typical colors from everyone at the Temple.

To this day, Adrien still couldn't understand just why she had caught his eye. Maybe it was because she looked smaller than most of the children. She was shorter and appeared frailer than the rest of them. Granted, she had no problem with the roughhousing, giving just as good as she got even if she ended up stumbling several times.

Her robes swallowed her small frame, and Adrien just couldn't quite understand how a girl like her was supposed to be the protector of the Republic and keep peace in the galaxy, especially when it seemed that a strong gust of wind could lift her from the ground and throw her away.

Adrien remembered looking at his own outfit, so outlandish, extravagant even, when compared to the simplicity of theirs.

He kept on seeing the group. Always a small group of them, around seven or eight, battling and playfully fighting with some training lightsabers. Sparks flew as they swung at each other, in mock battles with movements far too clumsy and strange to ever be part of an actual fight. She was still with them, and Adrien remembered seeing her laugh as she swung her own weapon, twirling around to try and land a successful hit. They were like puppies, playful and energetic.

Was it too wrong to want to be a part of that?

Adrien Agreste was a good boy. He lived a good and very comfortable life and had a good social standing. The only son of Gabriel Agreste, a rich trade merchant, he had never really wanted for anything material in life that his father couldn't provide. Gabriel was extremely well off, and their home in Coruscant was among the most luxurious ones.

Unfortunately, his line of work meant that he was usually absent, whether on business meetings or just travelling across the galaxy for whatever reason his work needed. Adrien had grown up surrounded by child care droids, and while he had gone through the standard education, interacting with several children… at this point in life they'd all gone their different ways. Adrien never really managed to keep in touch with anyone from that time.

Once he turned thirteen, his father's friend had offered to let Adrien shadow him at work. To tell the truth, Adrien hadn't been completely sold on the idea, but it was a chance to learn something… to do something with his day, and since his father agreed… he had no reason not to. The Senator was an important man, and an old family friend. It made complete sense for Gabriel to trust him with Adrien's care and further education. And of course, the chance for Adrien to forge himself a career in politics was an added bonus.

Especially if he considered his uncertain lineage.

Of course, Adrien knew that his father's family was very well known. They'd had this line of work for generations already. But his mother and her family were a complete mystery, even after years and years of careful digging around. Adrien had managed to find certain bits and pieces, but he respected his father enough not to prod him with question that the older man was not inclined to answer.

But there were other sources. Other ways to find information, and Adrien had tried every single one that had been available to him. He'd managed to find certain bits and pieces of information, coupled with hushed whispers and rumors that he had never been supposed to hear. He knew that his birth and whole existence had been a scandalous affair.

Which was why he couldn't understand just why he hadn't been allowed to join the Temple to train as a Jedi. The members of the Jedi Order were held in high esteem, particularly in the city. It might have been a good thing to let him join. Give some purpose to his existence.

But still, he had some hazy memories, from when he was really too young to actually remember clearly, but he was sure that a member of the Jedi Council had visited his father, about him. And how he should have joined the young children in the Temple for proper training. Gabriel had barely let them finish their speech before he completely closed the door on any possibility. Adrien would not go to the Academy to train. Adrien would never be a Jedi.

Adrien didn't ask why. He knew very well that his father would never give him a real answer as to why he hadn't been allowed to join, so instead, he decided to investigate on his own. At first, he only found rumors. Some said that his mother was a separatist, fighting against the Republic, betraying everything about their current government. Some said she was a Jedi Knight. The stories varied in dramatics, but they all ended in the same way. She had been a warrior, and she'd been slain in battle. It had been a secret affair, and right after his birth, she'd been whisked away to a battle she never returned from.

He much preferred to think of her a Jedi Knight.

There were times that Adrien wished he had a name, something to go on with his search. But even the subtlest question would cause his father to close up, and he preferred to avoid that. Despite his cold exterior, there was an underlying pain, and even being as young as he was, Adrien could see it. In the end, all he knew about his mother was that she had died. But he can't help but dream of blonde hair and bright green eyes.

With what little knowledge he had found so far, Adrien could understand. A little.

His father wasn't a warm individual, but he cared… in his own special little way. His father loved him too much to risk losing him too. It was no secret that the Jedi's lived dangerous lives. Even the training alone was enough to scare normal people, and Adrien could only imagine what going on an actual assignment as a Jedi could be. And as much as Adrien could want to be a part of something like that, he was aware that he was all the family Gabriel had left, and vice versa. He wouldn't do anything to risk that.

That was the main reason why Adrien never complained. He was happy to do his job, which right now was being a good son, and not be a nuisance to his father. Especially with Gabriel being always so busy; but that was how life was for people in his line of work. And such was the hand he was dealt with, and Adrien would make the best of what life had offered him. Because despite being so young, Adrien understood. He was a good boy, and he would be a good son and fulfil his duties. He would do as required of him.

This was the path that led Adrien to the Senator. At first, it had been a little difficult. The Senator was imposing, an older man with a narrow face and cold grey eyes. It wasn't something that Adrien would have looked for in a mentor, considering he had enough of that at home. But in time, he'd found that the older man was interesting, and he would always answer Adrien's questions. Granted, the Senator would deflect when he believed that it was something that Gabriel would never tell his son, but he was part of the reason Adrien had found as much information as he had so far. Or at least, why he'd gotten enough clues.

The Senator was a good friend of his father. During his childhood Adrien had quietly wondered whether there was any sort of hair under that headdress he wore, but up to this day, he'd never been able to figure that one out.

If he had to tell the truth, it was the only caregiver that Adrien didn't quite mind. The Senator would allow him to shadow him at work, giving him small tasks when they were at the office, and he would allow Adrien into their post for him to watch and experience long sessions. Sure, it could certainly be boring at times, the Senate loved to discuss the most inane matters for hours at times, but Adrien did understand that the Senator was just trying to show him what a life in politics would be. It was a viable possibility for him, after all.

It was also a career choice that his father definitely approved of, and if he was to be honest, the inner politics of the galaxy could definitely be an interesting affair. But after all was said and done, Adrien was still a fourteen year old boy. He yearned for something more in his life. More than boring meetings with people far older than him.

But he wouldn't complain. Today, they had discussed the proper taxes for a variety of planets. It had been an extremely tiring session, which they'd just left. Adrien was very eager to go back to his home, but he was waiting for the Senator to dismiss him before he would go.

"You know," the Senator began, "I see a great deal of potential in you, my boy."

His eyes widened a little, but he nodded, "Thank you sir," he said, "That means a lot coming from you." He was a powerful man, that much Adrien knew, and compliments did not come easy.

"Good." He said, stopping to look at his young companion. "I should hope that I will get to show you how politics work, Adrien. This is a place where you can do something for our people." He clapped a hand over his shoulder, clearly done with the sentimentalities. "You should go home, isn't your father returning today?"

Adrien couldn't have helped it if he tried, but his expression lifted considerably. Gabriel had been gone from home almost a full month and while the Senator had made sure he had been looked after and cared for when he wasn't at work, the truth was that the boy missed his father. "I should make sure to be home before his ship arrives," He said, though it was mostly to himself.

"Send him my regards." The Senator pats his shoulder lightly, "and tell him that I will probably visit him during the week."

"I will," he said, "goodbye Sir."

He turned around, and began to hastily make his way home, lost in thought. The boy didn't get very far before he got the air knocked right out of him. He coughed, trying to fill his lungs back again, noting how his current point of view had switched from the luxurious halls of the Senate House to… the ceiling.

The current weight he feels on his chest was accounted by the fact that he'd just been tackled to the ground by a flurry of brown and tan robes. "I am sorry!" she said, a girl with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen, as she disentangled herself from him. She stood up easily, straightening up her robes before holding a hand out to him. "Are you alright?"

The girl looked oddly familiar, and his mind quickly drifted to the times he'd looked at the small groups of young children in Jedi training, and he placed her quickly. Yes, it had been a long time since he'd seen her, or any of their class, but he remembered her. She was around his age, even if her face looked somewhat younger.

His eyes glanced at the long braid that swung from her shoulder, signaling her as a proper Padawan. He had absolutely no idea what that braid meant, but it was a fact that every young apprentice with hair would have it. It signaled that they were Jedi in training under the care and guidance of a more experienced Jedi Knight. He'd known that it was how it worked, so it made sense that he never saw the little group again. They'd all probably gone to be the padawans, and were currently learning with other Jedis in the order. Unless they didn't pass through whatever tests they did back at the Jedi Temple.

He wordlessly took her hand, still offered to him, despite the fact that he had spaced out for a little. "Right," he mumbled, feeling oddly nervous about the way her blue eyes settled serenely over him. She pulled him to his feet easily. "Thank you." he mumbled, noting that her grip was sure, and that she was definitely stronger than she looked. The girl still looked every little bit as fragile as she had when she was younger, and her face still had the roundness of youth, despite the fact that she was probably ready to battle greater foes than he'd ever face.

It was a sobering thought.

"I apologize," she said, her voice soft and even as she chanced a small smile. "I was in a rush and didn't see you."

Adrien hadn't interacted with many Jedis in his life, but the soft tone of voice was something that he'd somewhat expected. It probably spoke to the calm demeanor the usually presented themselves with. Not that he would ever get upset at the little accident, it wasn't like he had been looking where he was going either.

"Marinette!" A clipped voice called their attention, and both heads snapped towards the source. A little distance from them stood a Jedi Master, his posture stately and slightly menacing as he stared at the duo.

The girl, Marinette, it seemed, winced at the tone and released his hand quickly. "I'm sorry!" She repeated, her voice sounding more like a fifteen year old and less like a Jedi, "I have to go, Bye!" she turned from him and ran off, trying to catch up with the older Jedi, only pacing herself to a brisk walk once the older man cleared his throat loudly. She finally caught up with him, and soon they disappeared from view.

-.-.

Adrien didn't know whether he was actually looking for her, or if it was fate that brought him where she was. Not that he would be against that particular design, but the whole situation intrigued him. Actually, she intrigued him. Even if they had barely interacted. Honestly, they had barely exchanged more than ten words, total.

There was just something about her. Something behind that cool exterior, the responsible and caring Padawan. There were some flashes of someone closer to his age at times, whenever she allowed the carefully constructed calmness to fall. Whether she was looking around curiously, blue eyes darting back and forward as she examined her surroundings. Or maybe because something funny happened, and he was able to see the mirthful glint in her eyes, even if she didn't let the rest of her face react, keeping her cool as she was supposed to do.

And she always managed to catch him looking, her blue eyes curiously glancing into his. Adrien was usually the first one to look away.

Because when the Jedi Knight Kir Fayar was around, her behavior was spotless. Speaking only when addressed and offering carefully studied advice. It was then that Adrien felt younger than ever. It seemed that he was a child compared to her, even if they were probably the same age. But her graceful posture and serene behavior spoke of a completely different upbringing. And it intrigued him more than words could ever express.

In the end, their interactions were usually limited to the brief time Master Kir would speak to his father, or to the Senator, brief pleasantries exchanged before they both went on their way.

But that wasn't the case today. Master Kir and Marinette arrived to the Senator's office, startling him from the documents he had been reading. There had been some threats, but even if the Senator didn't usually pay attention to them, he had been encouraged to reach out to the Jedi Order. Just to be on the safe side.

The Jedi Knight and the Senator begun discussing the possibilities and what their plans should be, and Adrien couldn't help but feel nervous as Marinette stood beside the older men. At this point in life, he had stopped seeing as the fragile girl he had thought she was, because he knew just what she was able to do. He'd read enough to know that Padawans went to war. And even if he hadn't known so, there was something about the way she stood that spoke to the cool confidence of someone who trusted herself and her abilities.

Her back was pin-straight, shoulders squared and as usual, she was very well behaved, even if she seemed a little restless. She only spoke when addressed, but she just looked around the office. Her blue eyes glanced around, curiosity shining brightly in them. It was easier to see her, and remember the girl who's run off after barreling into him, squeaking out apologies.

Eventually, the Senator seemed to make a decision. "We should discuss this in my office." he pointed out, "I can explain in further detail some of the issues. The young ones can stay out here."

Master Kir looked conflicted for a second, but it seemed that he quickly made up his mind and nodded, seemingly agreeing. "Lead the way, Senator." He paused to flash a careful look in Marinette's direction, earning a quick nod from the girl, before the Jedi followed the Senator into his office.

Her shoulders relaxed immediately once the door closed, and she began looking around the room curiously. She walked around, examining the trinkets that adorned the surfaces, all of them brought from different parts of the galaxy. Marinette kept her hands behind her back, fingers peeking from the long sleeves of her robes as she laced them behind her back.

"Do you want something to eat? Drink?" Adrien offered, not sure of what else he could try and say to break the silence. What he was sure of, however, was that he didn't want to get caught staring. Again.

She turned around to face him, looking clearly surprised that he was actually talking to her. Which in turn, made Adrien wonder just what she thought of him. "Oh, no… Thank you!"

She was beginning to turn back around, to glance at an ancient painting that adorned the walls, and he realized that it was his one shot to actually talk to her. "I'm Adrien."

She flashed him a reserved smile, "Marinette."

He already knew that, but it was nice to hear it from her. The silence returned, but at least he didn't feel as uncomfortable as before. He wasn't sure whether it was because he had actually managed to speak to her, or maybe it had something to do with the way she seemed so relaxed. Perhaps he was affected by it. Or perhaps it was one of those Jedi mind tricks he'd heard from. But then he wondered, if she was still a Padawan, could she even do something like that? There was just so much he didn't know.

"You're a Jedi?" He finally asked, almost wincing immediately at just how stupid his question was. Of course she was. But he wanted to talk to her and he was running out of options.

She giggled, and it relaxed him almost immediately. "Well, yes." she began, tilting her head to the side as she paused, "but technically I'm still an apprentice, so Padawan fits better." Her curiosity with the room's décor seemingly satisfied, she looked around for a place to sit. Her choice was a large seat, which in Adrien's opinion was too grandiose looking and not too comfortable, but it was what they had available. She squirmed a little, as she tried to get comfortable before carefully shifting into a cross legged position, worn leather boots peeking from under the fabric of her brown robes.

All the shifting moved her robe out of the way, letting Adrien catch a glimpse of a silver contraption. It had to be her lightsaber. "Is that… real?" He knew right away that he'd made another obvious statement, but she didn't seem to react. "I mean, full powered?"

She nodded, looking down at the weapon, her fingers tracing softly across the handle. "It's the real thing, yes."

"How does that even happen?"

She looked confused, eyebrows furrowing as she looked at him, "What?"

He shook his head, feeling slightly embarrassed. Honestly, he was terrible at talking to her, "Do you get that as a gift?" He inquired, pretty sure he was embarrassing himself in front of her. "When you start training with a Jedi?"

She laughed, leaning her palms on her knees as she inched forward. "It's a process, really." She told him, "We make it on our own." She waved a hand in the air, and he figured that it was far too long to explain, "It's very ritualistic. And If I told you I'm risking certain death."

His eyes widened, would Jedis really do that? "Really?"

"No." Her face broke out in a bright grin, clearly enjoying teasing him, and she only giggled at the flat look on his face. "Sorry."

And in that moment, he found that she was just a girl. She didn't feel like the possibly unstoppable warrior she was training to be. It was better, easier to talk to her when she was like this, sitting cross legged on top of the uncomfortable seat, giggling at the confused look on his face.

It helped him relax, and he sat with her, mirroring her position. Sitting so close only highlighted their differences. Her clothing were made out of sturdy, coarse and thick fabric, while his was dark, smooth and pristine looking. It seemed to have no importance to her, but it only heightened the difference between both their worlds.

It was her who broke the silence then, "You've always lived in Coruscant?"

"All my life." he said, trying to keep the sad edge out of his voice. He would have loved to be able to travel more, know more places in the vast universe, but his father argued that his position was too dangerous to take him along. He was safer back home. "You?"

"I was born in Naboo." she told him, blue eyes darting towards the closed door, as if making sure that the meeting was still going on before continuing. "I lived there until I came here to join the Academy."

"How old were you when you left?"

"Five?" She paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "somewhere around that, for sure." For a second, she seemed lost in thought, but she continued before Adrien could say anything else. "I think my parents were farmers." She added, and the idea that she had to think and guess was disconcerting to him. "I really haven't been back there, not since I left."

"Do you miss it?"

"I don't know." She said, her expression faltering a little. "It's not like I remember much of it."

He began feeling bad about every time he had ever complained about his own life. Adrien might have not seen his father very often, but at least he knew he was there. And that he cared even if he was not the best at showing it. "Do you like it here?"

"Coruscant?" she asked, pursuing her lips as she pondered the question, "It's very nice," She shrugged, her smile turning uncertain before she continued speaking, "I've never really travelled anywhere else…" The look on her face turned uncertain, and she pursued her lips, thinking of something Adrien couldn't quite figure out.

It seemed like she wanted to say something, but held back, "What?" Adrien pressed.

"What?" she repeated back at him, blue eyes confused as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"You looked like you were going to say something,"

She narrowed her eyes at him, as if silently assessing him before speaking. "I don't know if it's my head, but what I can remember about Naboo… it just seems so much prettier." Her shoulders tensed a little, and her hands gripped the ankles of her boots. She had never looked younger.

"I've seen pictures," Adrien said, "It does look like a beautiful planet,"

Her smile turned wistful. And he couldn't help but wonder if she missed her family. Even if she hadn't seen them in almost a decade. Could you miss someone you hadn't seen in so long? Could you really have memories of them?

It seemed like she caught the shift in the air, and for a second she seemed nervous. "What about you?" she asked, trying to dispel the tension, "I didn't know the Senator had a son…"

"Oh, he's not my father." Adrien shook his head, "He's my father's friend. I just… help here."

"Ooh," she nodded, tilting her head at him, "You like politics, then?"

It was quite possibly the first time someone asked him what he thought about his current career path. His life here, was just something that was assigned to him, so he wasn't sure just what to answer. "I… It's a good path to take."

The corner of her lips lifted in a small smirk, "That's not an answer," she told him, amusement glinting in her blue eyes, "but that was very politician of you."

Adrien would have said something, but it seemed that the meeting was over, and Marinette switched back into a proper position, standing by the door in a second. And just like that, the girl was gone, replaced by the apprentice.

"Alright." Master Kir spoke, "We'll be meeting you tomorrow morning then,"

"I still don't believe it's necessary, but I appreciate nonetheless, Master Kir," the Senator nodded, his expression thoughtful, before he turned to bid his goodbyes to both Jedi and his apprentice.

"I'm afraid you can't join me tomorrow," the Senator spoke, once both the Jedi and his young apprentice had left the room. "Your father would prefer if you stayed in Coruscant."

Somehow, Adrien wasn't surprised. Gabriel might have let Adrien travel with the Senator, but with the current threats sent the Senator's way, Adrien had resigned himself to the fact that he was not going. "I understand," he replied, "I can actually take the time to finish the books you said I should read."

The older man looked satisfied with Adrien's answer, "That's a very good way to spend your time." He said, "I'll make sure to ask you what you think of them when I return." The man looked at his watch, "It's time for you to head on home though." He nodded towards the door, heading towards his desk, "I'll just do some reading, there's no point for you to stay here."

"Alright," Adrien said, and gathered his things to head on home. He had one week free, might as well rest before he started reading on the history of the Senate.

The week passed quickly. He hadn't quite realized that he'd grown so used to spending time at the Senate, that this brief intermission turned out to be a bit boring.

More than what his usual day to day life was.

So when the Senator was finally back, he rushed towards the office, eager to talk to him. Because there had been news that there had in fact been an attempt on the Senator's life which made him eager to know just what had happened during the visit.

The Senator arrived minutes after he did, and greeted him cheerfully. Adrien, in a rare display of anxiousness, didn't give him much time to speak. "What happened?" Adrien urged, "I heard there was an attack?"

"Oh," the older man waved off his concerns. "There was an attempt. That's hardly the same."

Adrien nodded, an attempt meant it was frustrated early on. "Was everyone alright?"

"Well, yes. Mostly." He paused for a second, and Adrien thought for a second that he was doing it on purpose. "Well, That young Jedi girl, Master Kir's padawan…" the Senator spoke, and Adrien couldn't help but perk up, eager to hear just what had happened. "She was injured in the attack…" he kept on talking but Adrien wasn't paying attention.

Adrien felt his breath caught in his throat; at the idea of the girl, that same girl he'd spent time talking just past week had been injured in battle. An actual battle. He couldn't quite wrap his head around that fact, especially when he considered that the biggest foe he'd ever faced were, papercuts and heavy stacks of paper.

He was startled out of his thoughts when he turned to the Senator, who was looking at him, an odd expression on his face. "I see." the older man said, an amused glint lighting up his grey blue eyes. "Ah," he laughed, "to be young again…"

Adrien was not able to fight the heat that blossomed on his cheeks. "What?"

"She is very pretty." the Senator pointed out, before he broke out in laughter at Adrien's embarrassment. "I guess I can understand it."

He sputtered indignantly. "I am, I don't!" he paused, not sure just how to defend himself. It wasn't like that! Adrien just thought that the girl was nice.

The older man paid no regard to his stammering, "I should have seen it when they stopped here," he continued, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "You're probably around the same age, too." he added, before sighing loudly. "It's a shame, really."

"…Wait, what do you mean?"

"Oh my dear boy." the senator tsked, shaking his head "the Jedi follow a Code. And they are not to deviate from it in any way."

Adrien settled down to listen more carefully, curiosity etched in his young face. "How's that a shame?" he asked, as far as he was concerned, following a certain set of rules was not really a bad thing to do.

"Ah, it goes deeper than that. Jedis are not to create attachments, not material nor emotional. They can't marry, for once. They leave their families…"."

His mind flashed to the talk he'd had with Marinette. He was sure she missed her homeland, but she probably had never said it to Master Kir, if this code that the Senator mentioned was anything to go by. "It's not like that." Adrien defended himself, "I'm just… being friendly."

The look on the Senator's face told Adrien that he didn't believe him. But he didn't know how else to explain it. He was intrigued, yes. But his interactions with the girl were usually brief, there was no chance for anything other than a budding friendship to happen. If that. He wouldn't mind it if they happened more often, but that was beside the point.

"It's why I was glad that your father never allowed you to train. There are very good things about the Jedi, but many things that aren't."

"Such as?" Adrien asked, this was all brand new information and he was going to dig in if he could.

"Some of them… they can be a little close minded." The expression on his face spoke of clear disappointment, and Adrien couldn't help but wonder if there was a story to be told there, "I feel like there are things that need to be revised, but they would never do so."

Adrien listened carefully. There were just so many things that he didn't know about the intricacies of the Jedi Order. Mainly because he was kept away from them by his father, and partly because the group was indeed secretive. It was all new information, and Adrien wasn't sure how to proceed.

The young boy fell back into his work, eyeing the paper needed to read, assuming the conversation over.

"Adrien?"

He halted, Adrien had almost reached for the door and he turned around curiously. "Yes Senator?"

"That doesn't mean you're not to try. There's nothing wrong with befriending someone." The Senator's voice was even and he barely raised his eyes from the documents that sat on his desk. "And yes, there are things that should be changed, and I do believe that there has to be someone behind that change." His hand held out a small parcel, "I might need this taken to the Academy. And should you deviate from path. It would be alright."

The words resounded in his head, and Adrien shifted nervously, the fidgeting thankfully hidden by the burly outfit he wore. "I'll be going now Sir," the boy waited for the Senator's nod and headed towards the medical center, feeling a blush appear on his face. He had an excuse now.


	2. Chapter 2: Hopes and Expectations

Every now and then, Marinette had a recurring dream. The predictability was so comforting that she'd grown to expect the scenery changes, yearning for them even. It was always so vivid and so _real_ that every morning it left her chest filled with a warmth Marinette knew that she was better off not even trying to explain.

She ran across green pastures so plush, that she could almost feel the soft cushion of grass against her feet, all the while surrounded by a gentle breeze gliding all around here. She played along the shore of seemingly endless lakes, the water sparkling under the sunlight. There were parades, loud and beautiful, filled with confetti, people and colors.

A small house, that she couldn't quite remember, built in shades of yellow with phantom voices belonging to faces she couldn't remember anymore.

It always felt like she _melted_ into the dream, it was a feeling so familiar right now that whenever she felt sliding into it she settled into a peaceful sleep. The dream was not structured, there was little to no coherency. Only flashes and images that she couldn't quite explain.

It was all from too long ago.

Force Sensitive children were brought to the temple when they were very young, somewhere around four to eight years old. Marinette could barely remember a life outside of the Temple. It was an _honor_ to be here, and Marinette treated it as such.

Marinette had stopped trying to make sense of these dreams, she only enjoyed them whenever they came to her. The rational part of her brain knew that it couldn't be as beautiful as she kept on dreaming but the fact that it was always the same kept a flicker of home alive.

But then… Morning would always come.

She was well aware that _no one_ could ever know the feeling of disappointment that washed over her whenever she woke up, still snuggled up in her humble bed at the Temple's dorm. She only allowed the feeling to linger for a couple of minutes; after all, she had chores, tasks and learning that needed to get done. She was a Padawan, and her duty as an apprentice was to learn and follow the instructions that Master Kir would give her.

There was no point pining over a home she couldn't even remember.

Sometimes, Marinette wished that she could talk to Master Kir about this, and all the things that troubled her. But she remembered one time she'd mentioned her dreams to another older Jedi. The older woman had chastised her and told her to go center her emotions and _meditate._ That she had a duty to her training and there were things far more important. So in the end, she had done so, and after that she'd been keeping everything remotely personal to herself.

Which brought her to Adrien. He was a bit of a curiosity to her. Marinette was well aware that she made him nervous, she could feel it rolling off of him in waves. But now that she was an apprentice, she rarely got to interact with people her age, and people who weren't in the Temple? Even less. In the end, Marinette wasn't exactly sure just how to interact with the boy.

He seemed nice, at least. Even if he barely spoke to her.

It was the main reason she was so surprised when he initiated a conversation with her at the Senator's office. And even more surprising, it wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be.

Adrien was welcoming, if a bit shy, and it didn't take long for Marinette to feel at ease with him. Her attention had been immediately drawn to their differences. Her scuffed brown boots and outfit were in stark contrast with his pristine appearance. But then again, hers was supposed endure and protect her. Not look pretty.

He was curious about her, and she had honestly expected all the questions about her lightsaber. It wasn't the first time. And she had definitely seen the way his eyes had been glued to the silver handle that hung from her belt.

His question wasn't a bad one, to be honest. Was it real? The younger trainees, the ones that still weren't under the direct guidance of one Jedi Knight used a different, lower powered lightsaber to avoid serious injuries, teaching them the proper way to handle their weapons and helping them learn how to wield them.

But the questions kept on coming and Marinette wasn't exactly sure just how she could explain. The Jedi Order had a certain amount of secrecy and Marinette wasn't exactly sure just how much she was allowed to divulge to outsiders. They were bound by ritual and traditions, some of them older than the Republic itself and quite possibly illogical to all outsiders.

There was a reason for all the rules and all the secrecy, she'd been told. And it was to protect them.

But she couldn't help but smile as he fumbled his way through their conversation. Marinette was used to interacting with people much older than her, so the chance to speak with someone _her own age_ was somewhat delightful. So she decided to explain at least a part of the things they did. At least… correct some of his belief regarding the lightsaber. "We make it on our own, it's _very ritualistic_." She could have ended up right there, but the look on his face was too entertaining.

Sure, Marinette shouldn't have teased him either, but the look on his face was worth it and she broke out in giggles, feeling warmth at the welcoming look on his face because she knew at once, it was fine to relax as well.

It was also the reason she decided to talk to him about her dreams. Well, not the _dreams_ but to share what little she remembered about her past. Cautiously, she decided to let him know that she wanted to visit Naboo. Maybe she wouldn't even see her family, but to tell the truth, she wasn't sure if they even remembered her. But the chance to see if what little she kept on recalling was real. Granted, she could have looked at pictures, she had a large amount of resources that she could have definitely used to find out whether her dreams held even a little bit of truth.

But she yearned for real experiences. To feel the sun on her skin, to touch grass and flowers. Everything was just so _grey_ in Coruscant that the mere idea of something just so different was just implausible to her. Maybe then she'd be able to stop thinking about it so much.

There was a small part of her that feared that he would _tell_. That she'd end up getting in trouble because keeping a long attachment to a place she'd never even visited before was against every single teaching she had received so far. But he made no sign that he'd filed this information as anything other than two people talking.

He was lonely. It was what she could tell from the little they had been talking. He was being pushed into a path that he wasn't all that sure about. He might have some talent for Politics and frankly, it wasn't unheard of to have people around their age in high positions in the Senate. If that was what he chose, he was likely to have a successful career in that world. Marinette only hoped that Adrien would find his way and find something that made him truly happy.

But the meeting was over before they could talk any longer, and thanks to her fast reflexes, Marinette was able to stand up and into an awaiting stance when the door opened. She spared a small look to the boy as she left, making a small subtle gesture with her eyebrow as she tried to bid her goodbyes.

* * *

Marinette was definitely excited about having an actual mission. A real assignment that she was going on with Master Kir. Sure, she was making sure to behave as cool and collected as she could possibly be. Granted, it was mostly a preventive measure, brought on by anonymous threats sent to the Senator, which meant that their mission was to both keep the Senator safe and try and figure out where the threat had come from.

It was a simple assignment, to tell the truth, but still. It counted as her first.

The mission itself wasn't very exciting, to be honest. There was a lot of following around and standing in on boring meetings. Right now, Master Kir had gone off to ensure the safety of the building they were supposed to go into, which left her alone with the Senator.

"Marinette, right?"

"Senator?" she answered, wondering if the older man had a request or something along those lines. The older man had barely acknowledged her during the whole trip, but maybe now that they were alone, he wanted to fill the silence. Many people were like that.

"Ah, I was just wondering if that _was_ your name."

Marinette nodded, "Ahh, yes Sir, That's my name." she answered politely, certain that it was the end of the conversation. While she had no issue with polite small talk; it somehow felt odd this time. After all, the Senator acknowledged her in limited occasions, since most of the time he simply addressed Master Kir with whatever it was he needed.

"Where are you from, child?" the older man asked her, turning his grey eyes towards her.

And it would seem that the Senator wasn't done talking just yet. "The temple…" she trailed off, unsure of how to properly answer the question.

"No," he chuckled, "I meant your home?"

"Ah," she shrugged one shoulder, regretting the gesture immediately, it was not formal enough for the situation she was in. The subject of _home_ was always a weird one. Did the place you were born count, if you hadn't been there in more than a decade? "I was born in Naboo."

"Oh." the look on the Senator's face lost its spark, turning somber in an instant.

And that definitely caught Marinette's attention. The young Padawan turned her full attention to the older man, worry flickering on her young face. "Oh?"

"With everything in Naboo, I'm sure you're worried enough. There's really no point in worrying you any further, right?"

It took every little bit of energy she had, all the knowledge she possessed to not react. To even her breathing. To tell the truth, she'd been perfecting her battle skills lately, it had barely left her any time to stay current on the galaxy affairs. Which seemed to be an error that she definitely needed to fix now. "Oh, right." She finally answered, doing her best to keep her calm.

She was not calmed.

After that, the Senator returned to paying little to no attention to her, instead preferring to converse with Master Kir. To tell the truth, she didn't mind. This was her first mission and she was still processing everything that was going on. And aparently, talking with the older man was not conductive to her peace of mind. And she needed to be calm to be effective. Perhaps it was better to let Master Kir handle the conversations with the Senator.

Kir Fayar was a very good Jedi Knight and most certainly a good instructor. He was a member of the council, and Marinette understood that she was privileged to be the apprentice to someone with the amount of experience that her master had. This was why Marinette felt so bad about doing anything that might disappoint him. And keeping a decade long attachment would certainly be a disappointment.

The trip went by uneventfully, not even a sign of the supposed imminent danger the Senator was in; right until the last minute, when they were boarding the ship to head on back home. The ship, with its official logo sat on the landing pad, in wait for the moment where they could finally board and leave.

There was a feeling, a strange pang of something she couldn't quite name yet, deep in her chest. She turned towards Master Kir almost immediately, finding that the older man's face mirrored the worry she felt. Something was definitely wrong.

"We should leave soon." Kir said, turning his attention towards the crew, his posture cautious as he looked around. "Is everything loaded?"

"Almost!" The pilot called out from inside the ship. "I'm checking the levels for now. We should be ready when they finish loading the cargo.

Kir walked towards her, his voice low and careful. "Stay alert." he told her, and Marinette nodded, looking around carefully.

The Senator arrived when they were almost ready to leave, engines about to start and just a few more items to load. It was then when everything happened. The sound of a blaster being fired in their direction was enough to send everything into chaos. The crew started running and they were left wide open for the incoming fire. A masked individual floating on in a jetpack advanced in on them, his weapon shooting nonstop at the people in the port.

"Marinette!" Kir called out, "Get the Senator inside!"

It took her little time to reach the older man, grabbing his arm and leading him towards the awaiting ship. Unfortunately, the Senator was older, and his movements weren't as fast as hers, and Marinette had to push him towards the opened hatch. "Senator, we have to hurry up!" she urged him, before chancing a look behind her to see just how dire the situation actually was.

To tell the truth, she didn't see it happen. She _felt it,_ a sharp pain shooting through her left side, immeasurable heat burning her skin. "Inside!" She urged, gritting her teeth as she tried to ignore the searing pain on her side, almost _pushing_ the Senator towards safety and stumbling towards the pilots. "Start the ship!" She yelled, and the pilots began to work the switches, eager to get out of danger.

Kir entered the ship quickly, and the door closed, clearing them for take off. His dark brown eyes focused on the blaster mark on the wall, and his eyes fell immediately on Marinette and the Senator. "What happened?"

There was no point in hiding the singed mark on her robes, she gritted her teeth. "It grazed me."

His eyes examined her carefully. Marinette tried to appear as nonchalant as she was able, but it was really hard to do when she was clearly favoring her left side. She could try to hide it as much as possible, but it hurt. A lot. And Master Kir wasn't dumb. "Let's go." the older Jedi finally said, offering his hand to her and leading her to the back of the ship.

She took off her cloak, wincing as the effort to move stretched out her injured torso. Kir noticed, a disapproving look flickering on his face. "You should have used your lightsaber," he said, looking for the first aid kit.

"I was trying to get the Senator inside the ship," She explaining, though she knew it wasn't a good enough excuse. This was basic training and she'd failed it. She should have been able to deflect the blaster beam without losing track of her mission.

The look on the Jedi's face showed that he clearly agreed. "You need to be able to focus on more than one task at a time."

A loud sigh was the only answer she was able to give at first. "I know." Marinette was aware that she'd made a mistake. She watched as the Jedi looked through the kit, and Marinette removed most of the layers in her clothing, wincing at the way it would brush against her injured skin.

The Jedi pulled a chair, to reach the proper level to examine the wound. "It's not that serious," he told her, cleaning the blood away, shaking his head and tsk-ing at her hissing. "It's only for a minute Marinette, hold still."

She tensed, but did as asked, "How does it look?"

"It's alright, but you probably should get it properly looked at when we get back to Coruscant."

"I will." Now that she had the certainty that she wasn't going to _die._

"You were really lucky," he pointed out. "A little more to the right and we'd be telling a whole different story." There were no medical droids on board, which would have meant that unless they were able to cart her off to proper medical treatment… Well, her path towards Knighthood would have ended before it actually began.

She shrugged her shoulders, nodding. Marinette was well aware that she had made a mistake. She knew it the minute that blaster grazed her side. At least luck had been on her side this time, but Marinette was well aware that she needed to be more alert next time.

He wrapped some bandages around her, and she could feel the ointment beginning to help with the burning on her skin. It wasn't perfect, but it'd do for now. "There. That should be enough until we arrive." Kir rose up, and put the supplies back where he found them. "Stay here. Rest." he ordered, giving her a pointed look before he turned to leave the room.

Marinette sighed and stretched out on a bunk. This was not the way she wanted her first assignment to go.

Once home, her medical inspection went as expected. She was _fine_ and other than changing the bandages on her torso, they did little else but keep her overnight, _for observation_. She was still a little tender, but she knew that she'd be back to normal in no time. There was nothing else for her to do but head back to the Temple and rest, as she was ordered to.

Marinette almost ran smack into Adrien outside of the medical center. Out of reflex, which were thankfully still good, she held her arms out to keep him from smacking into her tender side and his bright green eyes widened in surprise when he recognized her.

"Hello!" she greeted him, letting go of his arms once she was sure that he wasn't going to accidentally bump her on her tender side.

His eyes gave her a quick once over and she just knew that someone had already told him. Undoubtedly the Senator. "You're alright?"

She nodded, before shrugging a shoulder and biting back a small cringe. Despite being treated, she was still somewhat sore and sudden moves were definitely not the best idea. "I'm okay." she told him, "It was just a graze."

"What happened?"

"I…" Marinette sighed, not really proud of herself, "I wasn't paying attention, I got hit with blaster bolt." She pursued her lips,

The look on his face was enough to let her know that he wasn't taking this as well as she was. "Blaster bolt?" He asked, "You were _shot at?"_

"We were _ambushed_." she explained, "But nothing happened!" Marinette hurried to add, seeing the concerned look on his face. She usually forgot that _normal_ people didn't go through life experiencing _battles._ "It's not even as bad as it could have been," She said, and amended quickly at his widened eyes. "I got out of the way!" she added, in her best attempt to appease him.

It didn't work.

Honestly, half the Jedi order were covered in scars, and many of them had a limb replaced by a droid simile. A scar on her waist was _laughable_.

Adrien blinked at her, clearly unsure of how to proceed. "But you're okay?"

"Cleared for duty!" she answered cheerfully. Well… technically. She was probably not going to be on any sort of training or physical activity for at least a week. "Well, I'm sore, but I can deal with that."

"Oh."

Her head tilted, examining the boy in front of her. They were really both fifteen year old, but their lives were just _so_ different. She liked talking to him, but Marinette was aware that perhaps certain aspects of her life were a bit too much for him to handle. He had to be eased into it. "I'm really okay," she said, "and oh! Master Kir said we're going to be escorting the Senator for a little longer."

"Really?"

"There's no reason to think that something will happen to him here," she said; knowing that it would take a right amount of audacity to try something at the Capital of the Republic, "But Master Kir would rather be safe than sorry. And I need to pay more attention to my surroundings," The older Jedi's words were still clear in her mind. "So… anything we should know?"

Adrien's expression turned gentle. "You won't be shot at…" he said, and Marinette couldn't help but laugh, noting how the expression mirrored on his face, "it's really not exciting. Bring something to read."

She grinned, "Will do." She looked over her shoulder, at the passing people, "I should go back to the Temple. I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow?"

He nodded, "Tomorrow." he agreed, watching as she bowed her head lightly in goodbye, "Rest!" he added.

"I will!" She said, blue eyes sparkling as she turned back, walking as fast as she could towards her home, "goodbye!"

* * *

Well, Adrien hadn't lied. It was definitely not exciting in any way. Adrien was currently reviewing some papers on his desk, and Marinette had simply pulled a chair to the opposite side of the grandiose looking desk to read something on her own.

Master Kir would walk in and out, making sure she was reading her material diligently, asking questions every now and then before heading outside again. During one of his exits, a small scrap of paper slid towards her, and she looked at Adrien. He was seemingly focused on his reading, but the ghost of a smile on his face betrayed him. Her hands reached for the paper, hiding it under her hand until she felt it was safe to read.

 _[Told you it was boring.]_

She hid the scrap of paper in the sleeves of her robes and her eyes darted around quickly, battling the amused smile on her face. Her fingers closed around the little scrap of paper and she quickly jotted an answer down on the edge of the same paper.

 _[Still better than getting shot.]_

She slid it under the book placed on the desk. He picked it up quickly, hiding it under the page he was reading. His eyes would glance around nervously, before grabbing the paper and reading it quickly. Much to her surprise, he snorted. Adrien looked around, his eyes darting around nervously before writing down on the paper.

[Does it _hurt_? _]_

Marinette wasted _no_ time to reach for the paper, reading it quickly and hiding it. Well, it was far better than it was before. She had applied some ointment that was definitely speeding up the skin's healing, even if it was going to leave a scar. She was still not mobile enough to battle to her full potential.

 _[It's still sore, but it doesn't hurt.]_

He took the paper immediately, reading it over and flashing a small smile at her. She replied with a small one of her own. It was sweet, him being worried for her wellbeing. Her expression perked up, remembering something else she wanted to add. Her fingers tapped the table quietly, signaling for him to send the paper back which he did immediately.

 _[Really, we tumble a lot during training… it's really easy to fall down. I'm used to it._ _]_

She slid the paper back to him, just as the door opened and Master Kir walked in. Adrien stuffed the paper under a stack of paper and looked as innocent as he was able to.

"Marinette?"

"Master Kir?" She replied, turning attentive blue eyes at the Jedi.

"How's the reading?"

"I'm finishing Chapter six," she informed him. Granted, she had been reading the same paragraph for about thirty minutes, but that was not important.

The older Jedi nodded, before turning around on his heel and leaving the room. Both teenagers shared a look, eyes widened and the telling signs of a smile on both of their faces. They'd been almost caught. Marinette's finger went to her lips, motioning for him to be quiet. They couldn't risk getting caught. He nodded, amusement flickering in his bright green eyes and they sobered up quickly, returning to their reading.

The notes ended up passing back and forward all day, both of them making sure that neither Master Kir nor the Senator caught them. Marinette knew she should have just read and finished her assignment, but she could always do that before going to sleep. Besides, she had to admit, that it was oddly _freeing_. Sure, it was silly, and playful _and completely immature_ , but she was loving it.

Not long after, it was time to leave, and she bid her goodbyes, reading the mirth in the boy's eyes and she did her best effort to downplay hers.

The way back to the Temple was mostly silent. It was only once they were close that Kir spoke up. "Marinette?" His voice was solemn and Marinette was instantly intrigued.

"Yes?" Marinette turned her attention towards the older Jedi, feeling a slight sense of dread.

He slowed his walk, standing still near the Temple's entrance. "You are extremely talented." he said, and Marinette felt her chest swell at the praise. "But there's still a long way until you're ready to be knighted. You shouldn't risk all you've worked for."

"Oh…" she said, evidently confused just at what had prompted this particular topic.

"I know that sometimes people your age…" he trailed off, clearly trying to find the best way to phrase his concerns. "Sometimes you have certain pull to people your age. I know you've barely interacted with the rest of the people in your level back at the Temple…"

Ah. So they were nowhere nearly as secretive as they thought they had been. Still, Marinette felt the need to defend herself. She knew it wasn't completely right, since she was supposed to be reading, but it wasn't _wrong_ either. She had advanced a good deal in her reading, after all. "We just talked."

"I know." Kir said, looking at the door, "I'm Just saying that you need to focus on your training. You've made a commitment when you joined the Order, and you should be mindful of that."

"I understand." she said, feeling properly reprimanded. That was the thing about Master Kir. He had rarely raised his voice at her, during all the time she'd known him. But the tone of sheer disappointment on his voice when she did fail him, was enough to make her be sure she wouldn't do it unless extremely necessary.

Kir nodded, clearly taking her word at heart. "Tomorrow we won't be going, the Senator will be at session all day." Kir told her, resuming his usual pace as they entered the Temple. "There's the issue of Naboo and it will probably be discussed all day."

Marinette did her best to seem _just_ curious. "Oh?"

The older Jedi continued, "The situation in Naboo is escalating, and there are rumors that a Droid Army has invaded the planet,"

A cold fear gripped her heart. She had been reading about this, she did so the minute she was alone after returning from the trip with the Senator. The situation in Naboo was dire, and if there were rumors of an invasion… then it was probably the truth. "I see."

"I'm going to the High Council now," he told her. "And we will probably be meeting all day tomorrow. There are very important matters that need to be discussed. You should do some reading in the Temple's library tomorrow and rest properly. We will train your defensive moves when I am done." He motioned her in the direction of the Padawan's sleeping quarters. "Go rest!"

"Yes Master Kir," she said, "I'll do that."

She barely slept through night, dozing off slightly only to wake up with a startle. In the end, she gave up and simply waited for the slightest hint of sunrise to jump out of her bed and head towards the Senate. Her pace was slow enough to be considered a walk but she was moving as fast as possible, while still looking calm.

It didn't take him long to spot him, Adrien was walking through one of the Senate's hallways, possibly heading towards the session, which should start any minute now. "Adrien!" She said, jogging to close the distance between them.

"Marinette?" His voice was curious, and she couldn't blame him. It was possibly the first time they'd seen each other _outside_ of what had been official duties.

There was no time to waste with explanations. "They've invaded Naboo," She can't help the way her words tumbled out in an urgent whisper. "Armies, they're going to kill everyone!"

Adrien's expression turned somber, "I heard." he answered, taking her arm as he led her to somewhere more secluded. "I heard Naboo's Queen is at the Senate, she's going to ask for help."

It was a relief. Naboo was a democracy, but their system's elected governor was named a Queen, but if she had been elected, it was clearly because she _cared_ about her people. Things might just turn alright. Still, there was no harm in covering all bases. "Can you talk to the Senator?" She pleaded, "There has to be something they can do."

"I will," he nodded, his hands squeezing hers, and she didn't even notice when she'd reached for him. "I'm sure they'll side with the queen." He turned to look away, "I'll let you know as soon as I hear something."

Adrien left her, to go join the Senator at his post and Marinette began pacing around, always keeping the door in view. She waited, as the session seemed to go for longer than anything she'd ever expected. But then, the door opened and Adrien came outside again.

The look on his face as he carefully closed the door behind him told him everything she needed to know. "They're not doing anything…" she said, her expression falling when he simply nodded in agreement. What good was having a senate, if they wouldn't help!

"They tried, but everything is a mess." Adrien explained, and Marinette felt her chest tighten at his words. "They started discussing about the merits of the Chancellor, the vote for Naboo was postponed. I'm sorry."

 _Postponed?_ She couldn't believe it, "What?" her voice was surprised, because how could the Senate focus on something so inane and useless, when there was a real problem. Real danger to a whole planet right under their noses and they were going into a struggle for who was going to lead the senate? Her eyes narrowed as she tried to figure out just what she was going to do. "I have to go." She still had no plans, but she knew that she needed to do _something._

He reached for her arm, and she stopped, turning around to see the worried look on his face, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." It was the truth, she had no idea just what her plans were, but she knew that she had to try and do something.

His hand released her arm, "be careful, alright?"

"I will." She said, taking a breath before turning around to exit the building.

A plan, she needed a plan.

Would Master Kir help her? Perhaps, but he was still meeting with the High Council and barging into their meeting was not going to win her any points whatsoever. Especially if she considered that Master Kir had already reprimanded her for playing around the previous day.

And probably would again, if he noticed that she wasn't at the Temple, like she should have been.

Marinette walked around, trying to think of _something_ and trying to make her anxiousness subside. The young Padawan was desperate for any ideas, and unfortunately, she wasn't coming up with any plans. She was beginning to feel discouraged.

That was, until she saw _them_. Two people, dressed up in full pilot gear watching over their ship. She began heading their way before she actually formulated a plan, figuring that asking for help was worth a shot.

"Good day," she greeted the pair, trying to look as reassuring as she was humanly able to. It was young man and a woman, only slightly older than she was, but fully dressed as pilots. Marinette figured that their age might make them more receptive to her plea.

"Hello?" The girl turned towards her, brown eyes curious as they clearly took in her outfit. There was no way of hiding she was a Jedi, so she never bothered to.

Still, it didn't matter. She needed to ask some questions. "Where are you travelling?"

"We're going to the Chomell sector," he answered, before his eyes turned wary. "Why?"

"I need help getting to Naboo," Marinette explained, figuring she'd simply lay it all out there. It was a simple yes or no answer. "Can you help me?"

"Naboo is blocked right now." the male pilot told her, his voice slightly confused at the request.

Well, that much she knew. It was common news, but she needed _solutions_ right now! "I know."

The two pilots exchanged a look, and Marinette could sense the confusion coming off of them in waves. "Why are you going to Naboo?" the female pilot finally asked.

"Jedi business." That was an outright lie. She knew it, they probably could sense it as well, but the least information they had, it was probably better for all of them.

The female pilot placed her hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow "And why aren't you taking official transportation?"

Marinette sighed, this wasn't working out at all. "Alright. It's not _official_." she paused for a second, clearly considering just what she could tell them. "There is war in Naboo. The Senate won't do anything. I have to try and do something." The duo still looked at her quizzically, Marinette figured that brutal honesty had to do the job. "My family lives there…" _Somewhere_. Marinette wasn't sure just where, and for all she knew they were already dead. "I have to help."

"You're not jedi…. _hypnotizing_ us."

Marinette gave the pair an amused look. Sure, she could have tried some Jedi mind tricks, just repeating something a couple of times until it seemed like it was their idea all along. But this was important to her, and she wouldn't drag them unless they wanted to. "Would you want me to?"

Both of them shook their heads enthusiastically. But the other girl added in a question. "Why?"

"Because if you help me, I want you to help because you _wanted_ to." She had no idea what waited for them in Naboo, it might be extremely dangerous and if something happened to them, Marinette couldn't deal with the thought that she'd taken their free will from that decision.

"Give us a minute." the girl dragged her partner away, "Pilot Meeting!" Marinette was able to hear the hushed whispers as the pair seemingly discussed their plan of action

Nino's hesitation was clear. "I don't know…"

Marinette didn't even pretend not to listen to their conversation, as the male pilot gestured at his partner. "Active warzone, Alya. You want to fly into an _active warzone."_ He was clearly nervous about the idea, Marinette could feel it. Not that the young Padawan could blame him, she was making a rather risky request.

His partner, apparently named Alya rolled her eyes, and Marinette felt the she was on her side. "We can try and find a safe spot to land, Nino."

He sighed, running a hand over his face, "Alya…"

"Nino…" she countered, the smirk on her face bright, clearly feeling victorious already. "We've talked about this, _so_ many times. Do you not hate this job?"

"That's not the point!" he exclaimed, obviously frustrated.

"What if this is a once in a lifetime chance!"

"Dying _is_ a once in a lifetime thing." Nino pointed out, his brown eyes cautions. "The blockade is probably still going on. Invasion and all. _And,_ " he added, when he saw Alya ready to interrupt. "How are we going to explain the travel logs."

Alya _laughed._ "Alright. A, we're not dying. Did we die that one time we were being chased by two bounty hunters?" She paused for an answer, "Didn't think so. And B… We can handle that, we'll see how it is there. And C, Emergency landing…"

Well, Alya clearly had everything under control.

"Fine." He grumbled, "But, if I say we're in over our head, we'll turn around."

"Deal." Alya shook his offered hand and turned towards Marinette, a bright grin in her face. "Hey, Miss Jedi!" Alya grins as both she and Nino join her again, "hop on board, we're going to Naboo."

Marinette refrains from the correction, from saying that she wasn't actually a Jedi _yet_ , because she figured that distinction wasn't truly important right now. Instead, she smiled at the pair, , "I'm Marinette."

"Alya and this is Nino, and we're the best pilots you'll ever meet" she added a wink for good measure, and Marinette found that she actually believed it. If only because her confidence was reassuring. "It's great to meet you." With that, she was lead on board and they took off.

If there was one thing that Marinette had to say, was that she was incredibly _lucky_. The two of them hadn't lied. They were excellent pilots and Marinette wondered just why they were simply working as cargo ship pilots, instead of working for the Republic. There were several official positions they would have had more perks than working as cargo pilots.

"Why aren't you pilots for the army." Marinette inquired.

Never letting his eyes stray from the displays on the ship, keeping sure, Nino tapped his glasses, "If only we were able to see perfectly."

"I know." Alya joked, "Apparently our eyesight is not good enough to pilot for the Republic. If _only_ there was a way to help our poor eyesight."

Nino snorted, "If only."

"Just… because you wear glasses?" Marinette asked, frowning as she leaned on the back of Nino's chair. "That's just… stupid."

"Yup!" Alya said, before turning to Nino. "Visual on the blockade, what do you think?"

The actual blockade was smaller than what Marinette had imagined. Which made sense, since they were already deploying armies to the planet, most of the ships had found spots to land. Hopefully it would make things easier for them.

"It's… _doable_." Nino turns his attention to Marinette, who had been intently looking at the instruments on the dashboard. While Marinette could definitely fly some smaller ships, like the ones that are only able to be used within the atmosphere of a planet… she's yet to be trained as an actual pilot. It was fascinating.

"You might want to hold on," Alya said and Marinette strapped on to a seat as fast as she could.

For some strange design of fate, or maybe just sheer dumb luck, they managed to get through the without incident. Either Nino and Alya were _really_ good and probably needed a better job, or the blockade was really useless. Marinette preferred to think that they were actually _that_ good.

"What do we do now?"

Alya's question was enough to bring her back to reality, and Marinette paused, she honestly had _no idea_ what her plan was. She worried her lower lip for a second, as she looked at the terrain, filled with long expanses of green and beautiful villages. From their spot in the air, she could spot the battle advancing towards one of the towns and an idea, as rudimentary as it was, began forming in her head.

They needed to evacuate those people. There was no idea when and _if_ help would come, and the droid army wasn't known for being too understanding. Besides, news were already that thousands of people had _died_ so far. They had to at least _try._ Her blue eyes scanned over their surroundings until she found a place suitable. "There!" Marinette said, leaning over Alya's chair, towards a spot in the middle of the village. "Can you make it?"

Alya snorted, "Really?"

 _Right._

The ship's landing gear hit the ground softly and Marinette shot out of her seat as soon as the door opened. Walking out was an experience on its own. Marinette had honestly spent so much time thinking about what this place meant for her, about _all_ the dreams that plagued her sleep at night that actually being here was surreal.

The town was small, smaller than anything she'd ever seen before, but it was still beautifully built, round domes for rooves and … It felt _warm_. Nothing like the stark coldness of Coruscant. This place was _alive,_ filled with plants and life and _colors,_ whereas Coruscant was just grey.

But there was absolutely no one on the streets.

Marinette looked around, calming herself to get a feel of the place. There was so much fear around her, it resonated all around her. People were scared out of their minds and she couldn't blame them. With the battle heading their way, it made complete sense. People were hiding, which… shouldn't have been surprising, considering that she'd just made a ship land in the middle of an unsuspecting town.

The people in it had no way of knowing whether she came to help them or finish them off. This was the Senate's fault. They should have sent help already, things should have never escalated this far.

She walked closer to the building, looking around as she planned her next move when two people exited their homes, and Marinette's eyes widened. She couldn't remember them, not even a little, but she _knew_ them, somehow. And the look on their faces told Marinette that they recognized her immediately. Tom and Sabine. It was what little she did know about them, their names.

"Marinette?"

The words died in her mouth as she looked at them, nodding quietly. What could you possibly say? _Mom? Dad?_ Even their voices seemed new; her memories had always been hazy and muddled, especially when it came to what had been her home and her family life. She couldn't remember voices, mainly feelings and small flashes of sceneries. But they remembered her. Even after all these years, they still did.

The couple approached her carefully, and Marinette felt a weird feeling, like her chest was being held in a tight vice. On one side, she was delighted to know that they were alive and well, on the other… How was she supposed to act? She hadn't seen them since she was a little older than a toddler.

They were… older than what she'd expected, the fine lines surrounding their eyes and marking their expressions, but they seemed gentle. "I can't believe it's you." The woman whispered, holding on to her husband as they approached her.

"You've grown so much."

She felt herself shrink a little, Marinette was so overwhelmed that she wasn't sure how to react. "I'm so glad that you're alright," she finally said, the subtlest hints of a smile tugging her lips upwards.

"Uh…" A voice interrupted their little moment, as Alya approached with a concerned expression on her face. "Droid Army still coming, y'know?"

 _Right._ There was no time for this right now. She turned back to her parents, "We need to evacuate people." Marinette turned to Alya. "Can we fit at least _some_ people in the ship?"

Alya nodded. "It'll be crowded, but it can work." With that, she headed back towards the ship to talk to Nino.

Tom turned away from them and walked towards a near home. Marinette watched as they discussed something with the man who opened and then, the two of them began walking. Soon enough, people were actually coming out of their houses and towards them.

Marinette found herself facing a crowd, and she wasn't exactly sure whether she was fit enough to handle this. She felt _small,_ especially in the face of people looking at her for _solutions._ Still, she had already gotten this far, she was going to see this through. "I come from the Jedi Order," She announced, "The droid army is heading this way and there isn't enough time for Help to arrive. We need to evacuate. Now."

There was a small part of Marinette that felt that she should have been slightly clearer with her wording, but she decided against it. While she came _from_ the Temple, she didn't come _with_ the Order's blessing, so that was a matter of semantics that could prove important.

"There's no time to pack, grab only what you need the _most_ and come to the ship right away. We're leaving soon."

With that, she turned away from them and the crowd began to scatter. Thankfully, there weren't that many people, and she was almost sure that they could fit most if not all of them inside.

Evacuation was swift, the overwhelming urgency hurrying everyone onto the awaiting ship. They were almost able to see the army advancing, the droids' organized marching a low hum in the distance. Marinette headed towards the cockpit, where Nino and Alya were ready for lift off.

"Alright," Nino said, as he tapped some screens, "Where are we going?"

Right. Marinette paused for a second, "East. I saw a clearing there where they can hide out until it's safe. I will stay behind and try to ward off as many of them as I can."

"What?!" Alya practically exploded, "Leave you alone, are you insane?"

"I can handle it. Give me something to keep in contact and go." She looked around. "I'll hide around and I'll let you know how things work out, alright? That way you're all out of harm's way." Marinette's eyes turned stern, "It's not up for discussion." And even if it were, they wouldn't have time for it. They could _see_ the droids advancing and soon they'd be in range for their weapons.

Nino and Alya finally realized that there was nothing to do, and after telling her to be careful, they took off. The army was entering the small settlement and Marinette quickly hid behind a house. From her current spot, she began to carefully watch over the droids, trying to feel their intent.

The mechanic droids were tall, built almost human like with long legs and arms. Their head was long and thin, reminding her of an anteater, and it had a small antennae where she guessed, they received their instructions. Their hands held on to blaster guns, as they marched into the town.

As soon as the squad set foot into the town, Marinette realized the horrible mission. The only goal was to destroy as much as they could. With no people left in town, there was little to do but to shoot at the property.

A voice behind her startled her. "Human. _Surrender_." There was really no time to surrender even if she wanted to, as the droid simply aimed and shot at her.

Marinette jumped from her spot, narrowly avoiding the blaster beam shot her way and she reached for her lightsaber, the low hum as it activated making her feel safe again. Without hesitation, she swung at the droid that had discovered her, and the robotic creature fell apart with a loud clatter, the robotic voice dying out as she severed the power source. Without hesitation, she extended her arm and a second incoming droid flew from its spot until it crashed against the wall of a house.

She needed to find another spot. This was clearly beyond what she could handle right now. She ran through the town, swinging her lightsaber around her for protection, deflecting as many shots as she was able back towards their sources as she desperately looked for another place to hide.

It was putting a considerable strain on her side, her running pulling at the barely healed skin. This was beyond anything Marinette had ever trained for. And it was beyond what she could manage physically too. She had just returned home a couple of days ago! The droids at the medical center were good, but she was definitely pushing her luck.

Ducking behind a low wall, Marinette fought to catch her breath. She had probably managed to take out a couple of droids, but there was no way she'd be able to take out a full squad. She was in over her head unless help arrived. The young Padawan could hear them approaching. Without any other human in the town, she was their only target. It was then that Marinette realized that she might not live to tell this story.

Until a large and loud explosion lit up the sky.

And the droids began deactivating, their voices powering down as their heads hung low and their weapons clattered onto the ground.

Marinette's breath caught on her throat as she realized that she'd been saved in the nick of time. Her heart was beating in her chest, faster than she'd ever felt it before as she stood up and began to look around. She reached out and pushed the droids, watching it fall to the ground in a loud racket. It was turned off. Whatever had happened up there, had probably managed to destroy the command center, rendering the droids into nothing but junk.

The device hanging from her belt beeped and Marinette picked it up, kicking a fallen droid from her path as she walked, "Yes?"

Nino's voice was clear and frantic as he asked, "What was that explosion? You okay?"

"Droids are… gone." Marinette said, walking around the town, holding her lightsaber ready in case anything appeared. "Their ship was destroyed."

There was a loud shuffling on the other side of the communicator and Alya's voice took over. "What does that mean?"

Marinette took a second, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to _feel_ her surroundings. It was different than before, the dark and threatening atmosphere from before was finally gone. "It's… safe." Help had arrived. She didn't know how, but she was sure of it.

"Awesome!" Nino's voice was cheerful and relieved. "We'll be back as soon as everyone is back on the ship. "See you later!"

* * *

Managing to get everyone off of the ship was faster than what they expected, but it was probably due to the fact that most people were eager to check on their homes and belongings. Thankfully, other than some broken windows and small damages, the town remained mostly unharmed.

Alya stood by Marinette, as they helped the last person off the ship, eager to head on back home.

"Are we leaving now?" Nino asked,

"I have to do something first." Marinette said and turned to the two pilots, "can you wait for me a little?" The pilots nodded and she walked away.

Marinette began walking towards the houses, hesitantly going to the place she'd seen her parents come out of.

"Hello?" the young Padawan said, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to look more confident than she actually felt.

Sabine opened the door and let Marinette into the house without saying much.

Marinette looked around, the home wasn't lavish, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. "I have so many questions, I don't know where to start." she confessed, timidly looking at her parents.

"Let me start then," Sabine said, leading Marinette towards a seat in the kitchen. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, there were only a few droids around, when their main ship went down." There was a hint of confidence in her voice, but Marinette was aware that it was sheer luck. She preferred to leave the couple in front of her with at least a modicum of confidence in her abilities.

"Why are you alone?" This time it was Tom who spoke.

"It's not an official visit." Even more than that. It was against every rule she could think of, but still, Marinette shrugged her shoulders awkwardly, "I just couldn't not do something."

"This was really dangerous to do on your own," Sabine pointed out, and for a second Marinette felt _younger._ "Something could have happened. Are you already a Jedi?"

"Padawan." Marinette said, feeling reprimanded. She decided to not share the fact that she'd been recently shot at. It wasn't going to help her case.

"I have one more question," Tom said, putting his arm around his wife before looking at Marinette, "Are you happy?"

"I am," It was the truth. She _did_ love training and she truly believed that there was a mission for her to follow. She was going to be a keeper of the peace and balance all through the Republic and while that was a big responsibility, it was also an _honor._

And who knew, there was a small chance that the dreams would stop haunting her now that she'd seen her home planet and met her parents. But a small part of her knew, that it was not likely. Tom and Sabine were definitely being respectful of her space, but she could feel it. They missed her, they cared deeply for her and that would not change with distance. And there was a small part of her that didn't want it to change. Knowing that despite everything, she had a home.

A small plate of cookie appeared in front of her, and Sabine urged her to try them. "These were your favorites," she told them and Marinette reached for a small cookie, biting into it without a second thought. Food had always been mere sustenance. She ate because her body needed the energy, but she had never felt flavors that reminded her of _feelings._ This was childhood, it was running and playing and laughter.

"I still can't believe you're here." Tom's expression was gentle happiness.

Marinette smiled, though her expression was unsure, "I don't remember leaving."

Tom's face took on a wistful look, "I don't doubt that, you were so young," Tom said, "A little over four years old."

"You were four months away from your fifth birthday," Sabine pointed out, and Marinette was able to realize just how hard her departure had been for them. "We weren't sure that it was the right choice, but we had no way of contacting you to see if you were doing alright." the older woman sighed, "They said it was the best thing we could do."

Jedis could be _extremely_ compelling and to tell the truth, Marinette was sure that they'd told Tom and Sabine that she'd be better off in the Temple. It wasn't a lie, to be honest, Marinette was doing very well, she lived comfortably in her modest quarters and she had all she needed. Still, she was curious. "How did It happen?" She'd never been around for any discovery of a force sensitive child.

"There was a delegation of Jedis, visiting the Planet for the coronation of a new queen. We were in the capital too, to let you see the parade and festivities." Sabine began, her face taking on a wistful expression as she remembered the past, "You ran away from us at one point, scurrying between the people in front of us."

"You were extremely good at doing that." Tom interjected, "You didn't bump into anyone. They barely even notice you going past them. You ran straight into one of the knights, and he began talking to you."

"That Jedi sensed something in you."

"Force sensitivity." Marinette said, nodding as the couple helped her remember. "It makes us able to use the energy of the force." she explained to them. Force sensitivity was why Marinette could use persuasion, as short lived as the effects could be, along with some mild telekinesis. Their fighting abilities were also above a normal human, and some of the Jedis back at the Temple were well versed in Force Healing among several other abilities she had yet to learn about.

"That's it." Sabine nodded, "and everything he said made perfect sense. You were always ahead of things, more agile, faster than all the children you played with. You were also incredibly lucky and apparently that's one of the things that comes with your powers."

Marinette listened carefully, carefully piecing together parts of her life she hadn't known until now.

"We really weren't sure whether to let you go," Tom said, "But… you had abilities that we weren't equipped to help you with."

Marinette gave the both a reassuring smile. "I know. I don't blame you…really." Her life was not bad back at Coruscant, other than the fact that there were so many restrictions. "I just wish it wasn't so far away…"

The look on their faces told her that they agreed with that as well.

But still, she had responsibilities that she needed to face. "I should go." Marinette said, standing up from her seat, "The ship is waiting for me,"

Tom nodded and stood up along with her, "Will we see you again?"

"I… want to." she confessed, "I'm… not sure when I'll be able to, but I really want to."

It seemed to be enough for them, as they walked in awkward silence towards the door. "Be careful."

"I will!"

Sabine's hand hovered on the door handle before she turned around and reached for Marinette's hand. "You'll always be my daughter." she said, "You're welcome here whenever you want."

Tom was more straightforward than his wife, "We've missed you little one," he said, simply pulling his daughter in for a hug. "We're really glad you're doing okay."

Marinette's face flushed but after a brief moment of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Tom as well. "Thank you," she said, her voice thicker than what she had expected it to sound, "I'm… really glad I could do this."

"It might be nice to not have impending doom heading our way the next time," Tom offered, an amused smile on his face, which only widened when Sabine swatted at his arm, her face also sharing Marinette's teary smile.

Marinette chuckled, feeling her chest fill with an unexpected wave of affection. "Probably."

Sabine finally opened the door, "You should head back now," she said, "be safe."

"I will," she told them, "It was… really nice to see you."

* * *

She returned to the ship and initially avoided the look Alya gave her. Both pilots spared her a few glances but didn't ask her anything. Marinette was thankful for the reprieve, to be honest. After that meeting, she needed a few minutes to digest everything that had happened.

Eventually, Marinette offered, "They were my parents," Marinette said, "I hadn't seen them since I left for the Temple." There was a beat of awkward silence in the ship, and Marinette simply looked ahead.

Alya was the one to speak first. "You okay?"

"I am," Marinette answered. She was, it wasn't a lie. There was just a bit of a tight feeling in her chest about leaving everything behind again. Even if she knew now what she was doing and where she was going.

"Will you come back?"

"I don't know." It was the same answer she'd given Tom and Sabine. "It's not really up to me, really."

Nino and Alya shared a few looks, it seemed like they were having an entire conversation without saying one word out loud. "You know," Nino finally offered, "We can let you know if we have to go to Naboo again."

"Yeah," Alya added, "I mean, with everything happening now… Things will probably go back to normal soon. We'll resume our routes and…" Alya's shoulders shrugged as she steered the ship. "We might be able to let in a stowaway again."

"Mhmm," Nino hummed his approval, nodding along his friend, "You're cool in my book."

Neither pilot was looking at Marinette, both of them making a pointed effort to look straight ahead or at the console in front of them. Marinette was grateful for both their words and the privacy they'd tried to give her. It gave her a few seconds to consider. "That… that might be nice." she finally said. Who knew if she'd be able to sneak away again, but having the chance was actually more than what she'd had before.

Granted, with the little stunt she had pulled; and if she was caught, she might not be able to leave Coruscant in a long time, but that was something she'd solve later. "Thank you," she finally added, feeling a small smile appear on her face as she joined them in looking out the window, into the dark universe they were travelling in.

The ship landed in Coruscant without a hitch, but Marinette was barely able to contain the dread she was feeling. She needed to head back to the Temple _right now._ Once the ship had docked properly she turned towards Nino and Alya, "Are you sure about what you'll say?" She asked them, pulling her cloak closer to her body as she prepared to disembark.

"Emergency landing, we never saw you." Nino repeated, his voice flat, as they'd had already reviewed this _several_ times on the way back.

Marinette nodded, "Thank you." With that, she hurried away from the ship, covering her head with the hood of her cloak as she heard the two pilots hushed whispers of excitement. Well, as ridiculous as the whole plan was, it had worked out great. They'd managed to get through the remaining blockade, help the people and avoid being caught once help had actually arrived. It was everything she could have asked for.

She was almost at the entrance when her high spirits came crashing to the ground. The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly alerted her to the fact that she hadn't been _completely_ successful. She turned around to see her Jedi Master, standing by one of the magnificent looking pillars in wait. Like a parent waiting for her wayward child.

Which, she figured, seemed to fit the occasion.

"Master Kir!" she said, nervously looking at her Jedi Master.

His expression was serious as he looked at her, his lips set in a thin line before he spoke. "Follow me."

Marinette winced, knowing that she was in trouble. The older Jedi Knight led her through the hallways of the Jedi Temple silently. In the end, they walked into a small empty training space, where Marinette braced herself for the yelling.

"You went to Naboo." It wasn't a question. Kir's voice was even as he glared down at his apprentice. Somehow, the lack of yelling was even worse.

There was no point in even trying to deflect so she simply nodded. "Yes."

"And you… evacuated people."

Again, it wasn't a question. Marinette was becoming quickly aware that Kir knew everything already. Which would mean… she was in deep trouble. "…Yes."

An exasperated sigh left the older man's lips as he "Imagine my surprise, when transmissions informed me that after making sure that the Droids were deactivated, the Jedi mission visited some towns near the army to make sure people were alright. And they find that one town had been thoroughly evacuated _and_ returned safely by the time they had arrived." He gave her a careful look and Marinette swallowed awkwardly. "I go inform my young Padawan of this development, and she's nowhere to be found."

Well, perhaps it hadn't been her smartest move to improvise an operation like this one, when she was supposed to only be in _one place_ the whole day. Kir knew her, it probably didn't take him long to add things up and figure out just what she had done.

Since Marinette didn't say anything, Kir continued, "This is by far, the most irresponsible thing you have could have ever done, Marinette." Kir's voice was even but even Marinette could see that he was reigning in his temper. "You are still not in back in fighting shape; had help not arrived; you, and all those people you tried to help, would have died."

"I had to do _something!"_ Marinette argued back, finally finding her voice. "The Senate wasn't doing anything, and the High Council wasn't taking any decisions either!" She might have not done much, but she had given them _time._ There were people who would have not been able to evacuate in time, and would have been easy targets for the battle droids.

"And just _why_ did you think it was _your_ responsibility to do something?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and she tightened her jaw, "They're my parents Master Kir." she said, "I would do it all over again."

Whatever Kir was going to say, died in his lips. His brown eyes regarded her carefully, and Marinette held her ground. She wasn't lying. While she didn't know her family, she was not about to stand by and wait for them to be slaughtered. Not if she could try and do something, as reckless and crazy as her plan was.

"You're too reckless for your own good," was what he finally said, his brown eyes giving her a pitying look. "You need to be mindful of your impulses. It is part of your training."

He paced a little, clearly thinking of what he was to do before he spoke again. "I'm not going to inform the High Council of this," he told her, and Marinette's eyes widened. She had been sure she was going to get harshly punished for what she'd done. "But!" he continued, seemingly eager to let her know that she wasn't off the hook for her behavior, "You'll be training solely on the Temple. You will _not_ leave the Temple, unless with me, understood?"

Somehow, Marinette knew that she wasn't going to be leaving the Temple at _all_ in the near future. "Yes Master Kir."

His brown eyes relaxed slightly. "Go rest, you're still not in battle shape, and you're going to be training a _lot_ these next few days." he waved her off and Marinette nodded, hurrying towards her sleeping quarters, thankful that things had actually worked out.


End file.
